Too Drunk
by thisyearslove
Summary: [EC] Too much alcohol opens the door to a new relationship. Read and review please!
1. Coming Home

**_Disclaimor:_** The Author understands that all chracters used in this story are not owned by her, but by CBS annd jerry Bruckheimer.

It was four a.m. when they stumbled into the apartment, laughing and taking their clothes off as they moved towards the bedroom.

His shoes, her jacket, his tie, her boots, his button up shirt down to her skirt being tossed towards the pile and his pants. Somewhere along the hallway he lifted her up and pressed her against the wall to kiss her deeply. Her small frame held by his strong arms with his tanned skin against her alabaster complexion.

Pushing back, she led them down the hallway another four steps. She smiled at him and kissed him deeply, her mouth exploring his.

He broke the kiss and brushed her long hair back over her shoulder. As he kissed his way from her collarbone to her neck, her moans grew louder. She gasped as he licked, bit and kissed sensitive spot near her ear and she ground her hips to his in response. He pushed her against the wall, one hand moving from her hips to her chest and the other to cup her butt. Picking her up, he pushed his hips against hers and bit her neck aggressively.

"Take me to bed," she said seductively, wrapping her legs around his waist.

He complied as he walked them to the bed and lay her down. She pulled the waistband of his boxers to bring him on top of her. Leaning on his elbow, he smiled as she freed the clasp on her bra. Raising one eyebrow, she bit her lip and dropped the black, lacy garment on the floor.

They smiled at each other and he thanked whatever God who had allowed him the privilege to see this silliness in her.

Chuckling, he captured her soft lips with his own full ones, pushing his tongue into her mouth and sliding her panties off with one hand.

"Please," she said softly as he brushed his hand up her thigh to her stomach.

It was a warm night but the bedroom felt cool with the soft wind blowing the drapes softly. The outside street was quiet except for the Latin beat playing quietly. With a full moon in the air, the room was lit well enough for the pair to appreciate every curve, and move of the other's body.

TBC...


	2. Waking Up

In the morning, the romantic atmosphere from the previous night was gone. The sun shone brightly into the room, the light hitting the faces of Calleigh and Eric. The quiet air was now replaced with the sounds of busy streets, construction and a city fully awake.

Eric groaned as his body recalled the night before. He hadn't spent it alone but this time, the girl was still here. Or he was still with her. The inside of his mouth felt dry, his teeth felt as though they had grown fur against his lips and his head felt as though it were the size of a scuba-diving air tank.

The soft breath on his skin called him to look down at his chest to see a naked, petite frame using his chest as a pillow. Even though her long, blonde hair was covering most of her face, it was undeniable that it was Calleigh Duquesne, his friend and co-worker.

Whatever had happened last night, he prayed, would come back to him before she woke up.

It was still too fuzzy; the drinks, the music, the flirting and the specifics of what happened. His mind flashed scenes of Calleigh, moaning and writhing beneath him but how did they get there? He could feel his body begin to betray him and worried a growing appendage might disrupt the already delicate situation they were in.

He tried not to notice her bare chest or the curves of her body under the duvet which hung off her back. He prayed she was unaware of her actions as she rubbed her leg against his and nestled her face into his chest.

"More," she sighed and pulled her body to his, tighter.

One hand moved under the blankets towards his stomach. Eric took her hand and twined their fingers together, trying to prevent anything else Calleigh would ask to take back in an hour.

"C'mon Eric," he muttered. Maggots. Ants. Floaters. GSR wound to the stomach. His body began to regain control. There we go, he thought gratefully.

Eric relaxed, allowing himself to enjoy the moment with her. He worried it would be the only time he could see her like this. Her face relaxed, her body warm against his bare skin; it was almost too much.

It was then when he brushed her hair back and relaxed his grip, the clock radio on her bedside table blared through the quiet room.

"It's 9:30 on Sunday with DJ Liza and Loco Lou in the morning, coming to you live on this gorgeous-"

Calleigh's head snapped up from her spot on Eric's chest as her arm to snaked out from the covers to hit the snooze button. She laid back down on a confused Eric, who now had no idea what to do. Her eyes snapped open again and her face ran through the possibilities of who or what could have happened and where she was.

Reacting before thinking, Calleigh pulled the duvet over her head and hide there, hoping this was a nightmare.

Eric pulled the blanket back, knowing her seeing them both naked would not help her.

"What are you looking for?"

Calleigh grabbed a pillow to cover her chest and found a deep blue bathrobe near the headboard. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and tied the robe tight to her body.

"Calleigh?"

"We're _in_ my apartment," she murmured. "_We're_ in _my_ apartment."

Eric looked around the bedroom for his boxer shorts, eventually spotting them three feet from the end of the bed. Trying to be as discreet as possible, Eric used a pillow to cover himself to make his way across the bedroom to retrieve them.

"We're in my _apartment_," she said again.

"Calleigh?" He sat down on the end of the bed, close to her but still at arms length.

"We're in my apartment," she repeated. "I don't remember getting here."

"Do you want to use the washroom first?" Eric asked and she nodded. When she made no movement for the bathroom, Eric looked around nervously. "Do you want me to use the washroom first?"

Calleigh nodded again. "Don't lock the door."

"Uh," he laughed nervously. "Calleigh?"

"The door is broken, you'll be locked in," she replied stoically. "I'll go put on some coffee."

Eric watched her walk down the hall, focused on her hands instead of the scraps of clothing around the room. It appeared as though they had torn each others clothes off like kids ripping into their Christmas presents. He saw her underwear on the headboard, her bra on the side of the bed, her skirt down the hall as well as her knee-high boots.

Eric made the bed and picked up all the clothes around the room to put them into her laundry hamper. If anything, he knew she would appreciate the thought, even if she didn't notice it this morning.

Inside the shower Eric was hit by the fresh, floral and delicate smell of the soap and shampoo she used. Eric tried to scrub off the feeling of last night's drinking. He washed his hair, he scrubbed his skin and tried to ignore the screaming voice in the back of his head that told him he screwed up and she would never forgive him.

When he stepped out of the shower there was a toothbrush in its wrapper, fresh pair of boxer shorts and a large T-shirt on the kitchen sink. Eric smiled; Southern hospitality would always be in Calleigh Duquesne, hangover or not. He assumed his jeans were in Calleigh's room but realised she must be washing them for him.

After brushing his teeth, Eric made his way down the hallway. He picked up her boots and put them by the door on his way to the kitchen. He could hear the washing machine from the front hall and hoped maybe this meant he had the possibility of surviving this morning.

Surprised to find her still in her robe, Eric watched her as she quietly waiting by the coffee maker. Her face looked fresh, and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Eric was struck at how young she looked.

Eric leaned against the counter. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she said, sounding unsure. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a beatnik is playing bongo drums in my head," he replied. "I could use some coffee, which I can see you're making..." Calleigh said nothing and Eric ran his fingers down her arm to hold her elbow. "Cal? Why don't you take a shower, I'll get the coffee."

"Sure," Calleigh replied and started to turn to face him.

Eric stepped toward her, placing his hand on her hip and the other on her shoulder. Her cheeks flushed and she let out a shaky breath. Was she nervous?

Calleigh closed the gap between them, pressing her body to his; his arousal pressed against her stomach. Glancing from his eyes to his mouth, Calleigh licked her lips and Eric leaned in to kiss her. Calleigh stood on her toes to close the gap. Her mouth opened, her tongue reached into his mouth, teasing him softly. Eric pressed her against the counter and kissed her with fervour. She let out a small moan and ran her nails down his back.

Suddenly, the coffee maker started sputtering, causing the coffee grinds and hot water to come out the top of the coffee maker. Calleigh broke the kiss and muttered a curse under her breath. Simultaneously, Calleigh grabbed some paper towel as Eric shut the machine off. The water stopped pouring out of the machine but the mess had been made.

"Piece of junk," she muttered as she cleaned up the grinds off the counter.

"What is? Does this happen a lot?" Eric asked.

Calleigh sighed and Eric tried not to groan. Even without a shower, Calleigh smelled amazing. He could smell her sweat, her minty toothpaste and their sex from the night before. It was just too much to take and Eric took a step back.

She nodded. "It's happened a few times. If the filter isn't in just right, it spills. I don't think I was paying attention to what I was doing..."

"Why don't you get a new machine?" he asked.

"I keep meaning to but it works most of the time so I forget about it," she justified with a shrug of one shoulder.

Eric threw the wasted grinds in the trash and rinsed out the cloth he used to mop up the counter. "I can fix this. I'll make some coffee and you take a shower."

She didn't reply, she continued to look down at empty filter. Eric wanted to bring her into his chest, to hold her, to kiss her again.

"Calleigh?"

"Sure, sure. Do you want some breakfast? I'm sorry I didn't offer anything - I think I have ingredients to make pancakes."

"I'll get started. You take a shower," Eric insisted.

Calleigh smiled slightly. "I'll be right back."


	3. Whipped Cream

Eric let out a long breath. Things were going okay - Calleigh hadn't freaked out or told him to get out. She was making coffee for them. She had offered him breakfast. She was washing his jeans. These were good signs; Eric hoped she wasn't going to tell him it was a mistake.

Why did he have to kiss her again? Was he trying to make things worse? Waking up to your partner was bad, waking up to your partner after a night of obvious wild sex and a hangover was worse. But making out during sobriety the next day was just plain stupid.

After putting his jeans in the dryer, Eric set to working on making breakfast. Rummaging around in her refrigerator he found ingredients for pancakes and bacon, he decided fresh strawberries would be as creative as they would get. He wasn't sure how much her stomach could handle and he didn't want to go to the trouble of making a breakfast if she wasn't up to eating it.

The batter was ready, he had sliced the strawberries and the coffee brewed without any complications. Eric set the table and cleaned the dishes he used as he waited on his hostess.

Calleigh emerged from her room looking fresh-faced and calm. She was wearing jeans and a long fitted shirt with a low-cut V-neck. She hadn't bothered to dry her hair and it was curling in the messy bun she had put it up in. Eric felt completely underdressed as he stood in her kitchen in the T-shirt she loaned him and his boxers.

_When are my jeans going to be ready?_ he thought to himself.

"Are you hungry?" Eric asked, clearing his throat.

Calleigh looked around her spotless kitchen. "I'm famished. Did you clean up in here?"

Eric smiled. "All we have to do is make the pancakes and wash the pan."

Calleigh glanced down at his legs. "Why don't you check on your jeans and I'll cook the pancakes," she offered.

Eric moved his hands in front of his shorts and moved out of the kitchen to the laundry. They were dry as well as his button up shirt and the T-shirt he wore underneath it. Where was my tie? he wondered.

Calleigh had tied on an apron and had three pancakes already made for them.

"Do you have any whip cream?" Eric asked.

Calleigh looked at him, her mouth agape. "What for?"

"The pancakes. Strawberries, whip cream. It's really good," he said with a smile. "I heard that's how you like it."

Calleigh smiled. "The corner store should have some."

Eric nodded. "I'll be right back."

The streets of Miami were full of couples at brunch and friends getting coffee. As Eric made is way to the corner store, he could understand why Calleigh moved into such a neighbourhood. He had been to her apartment a few times but had yet to spend time in the area. Eric hoped he could take Calleigh for brunch one morning and spend time in her neighbourhood like any other couple he passed. He could almost picture them wearing sunglasses, drinking coffee and enjoying a slow Sunday morning.

The corner store clerk gave Eric a wink when he bought the whip cream.

"Hungry girl," the clerk said with a smile. Eric blushed. "Well you were here last night for condoms and here this morning for whip cream?"

Eric looked around the empty store. Who talks like that to customers?

"Uh, yeah," he said. "Have a good one."

"Did you need anymore condoms?" the middle-aged man asked with a wink. He held up a box of Trojans, large, lubricated, six-pack. "Safe sex, and all."

Eric shook his head. "I think we're good, man. Thanks."

Embarrassed and confused, Eric wanted to know what had happened. He wondered if it would be unethical to flash his badge and obtain the tapes from last night.

Calleigh had cooked the bacon and the pancakes while he was gone. A bowl of sliced strawberries sat on the table and there was warm syrup under in a porcelain container with a spout. Somewhere she had found some flowers and put them in a vase in the centre of the table. Eric had made the kitchen look nice but she had made everything look beautiful.

"Hey," he greeted, tossing her keys on the counter. "I got the whip cream."

"Oh great," Calleigh said and took two of the canisters in the refrigerator. She set the third on the table. "What do I owe you?"

Eric smiled. "Nothing, it was no trouble. Where did you get the flowers?"

Calleigh looked at the Gerber Daisies. "Oh, my neighbour brings me flowers on Sundays. He says it's payment for protecting the city." Calleigh laughed. "I wish he knew what I really did at CSI."

Eric made a face. "Don't be like that. You do so much more."

Calleigh set the coffee on the table, a large pitcher of juice and the pancakes on the table. "I know, I think he just sees the badge and gun and assumes I'm a detective or something."

"Wait, your neighbour brings you flowers? Do I have competition?" he asked with a laugh.

Calleigh smiled as she put strawberries on her pancakes. "He's 55 and fancies young men. Come to think of it, I might be the one with competition."

Eric looked shocked and Calleigh laughed. She shook the whip cream canister and sprayed a mound on top the strawberries with the same precision as when she collected evidence.

He watched her take a bite and smile. "Good?"

Calleigh nodded and giggled with her mouth full. Eric took his cue and dug into the pancakes. Calleigh talked about her neighbour and the young men in drag he often came home with. Eric learned many of her neighbours in the building were eccentric types with artsy jobs. Calleigh was the only civil servant and the only single female living alone.

Two helpings later, Eric lay on Calleigh's couch, his stomach full and feeling much better. Calleigh washed the dishes in the kitchen, insisting Eric not clean after cooking most of the food.

Just as he was starting to drift off, Calleigh called his name softly. He opened his eyes to find her standing in front of him. Eric patted the couch and moved back, inviting her to nap with him.

"I have a better idea," she said, holding out her hand with a soft smile.

Eric took it and she led him down the hallway. They lied down first, and opened his arm for Calleigh to lay next to him. With her back to him, Calleigh felt nervous, not being able to see his face.

"Eric?" she asked.

Eric's eyes were closed but he was still conscious. "Yes?"

"What happened last night..."

Eric cut her off. "Calleigh, I'm still here."

Calleigh sighed. "I know." She turned over in the bed, to face him. "I'm glad you're here. I was scared - I was worried we had ruined -"

Eric pulled her close to him. "I was too."

She kissed his chin and he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. In the daylight of the afternoon, her bedroom looked so much different. She was studying his face, looking for something. Eric kissed her lips, moving his hand from her back to her hip, squeezing and massaging her through her jeans. He turned her body, moving her onto her back and taking his arm from under her neck to lean on it.

Kissing her was like riding a roller coaster. His heart was pounding and his blood was racing. As much as he wanted to move things along, Eric didn't want to push her. Sober, laying on her bed in the light of day, when she kissed him back was so much better than anything that happened last night.

Calleigh kissed him back, one hand in his hair and the other on his back, her nails digging into his back through his shirt. Spreading her legs, Eric settled himself between her thighs and pressed his hips into hers. She moaned and pressed back, grinding her hips and moving against each other.

It didn't take long for her to get impatient and started to pull at his T-shirt. Eric pulled his lips away from hers and began kissing her neck, as he did the night before. Her moans grew louder and Eric quickened his pace with his hips.

One hand reached into the back of his jeans, squeezing his bare skin on his butt and Eric grunted. Calleigh's other hand moved to under his shirt and she dragged her nails down his back. Eric sat up, took off his shirt and began working on getting her jeans off. Calleigh allowed him to slide them off and he tossed them onto the ground. She sat up and took her shirt off and then eyed his jeans.

Eric was too busy staring at her body to notice the hungry look in her eyes. How did a woman, who studied bullets all day and looked into microscopes, look so amazing? Her flat stomach, her taught breasts and toned legs were not that of a scientist. He stood up from the bed and took his jeans off and she unhooked the white cotton bra. She took her hair down from the messy bun and gave him a smile.

"God you're beautiful," he breathed and Calleigh melted. "I want you so much."

Calleigh pulled him onto her again and reached into his boxers, finding his arousal thick and ready. Eric could feel himself close and pulled away from her. He kissed her on the lips and then began a trail of kisses down her body.

Eric kissed her chest, he licked her nipples and massaged her breasts before kissing and licking down her stomach. Using two hands, he pulled her white cotton panties off.

Calleigh groaned as she realised his intentions and bit her lip. "Oh God."

Eric kissed the inside of her thighs and dipped a finger inside her, groaning to find her more than ready for him. Licking her was like tasting ice cream after a year in the desert. He wanted to spend the next hour down there, licking her and touching her. It wasn't long before Calleigh was screaming and Eric was bringing her down from orgasm with soft kisses.

Calleigh ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him back towards her. She moved to kiss him and he pulled back. "What?"

Eric looked embarrassed. "It doesn't bother you?"

Calleigh smiled and shook her head. Eric kissed her deeply and she sighed, wrapping her legs around his waist. "I want you."

"You don't know what it's like to hear that," Eric said, shaking his head.

As he took off his boxers, Calleigh pulled a box of Trojan condoms from the night stand. Eric's eyes widened and Calleigh took notice.

"What?"

"It's just... Those are the exact same brand the clerk at the corner store offered to me this morning when I bought the whip cream." Eric said. "Same size and everything."

Calleigh looked at the box and her eyes widened. "Wait, what? The clerk offered you these exact condoms?"

Eric nodded. "Yeah, he said you must be hungry."

Calleigh's face turned bright red. "Oh, no!"

Eric shrugged. "What? It's embarrassing but just shop at another corner store. They'll forget about it sooner or later."

"I remember going there," she said with a groan. "Oh, no."

Eric couldn't say the same. "What happened?"

Calleigh, still holding the box of condoms, was stark naked on her bed and Eric wanted nothing more than to be inside her. She looked concerned, just like when there was an unexpected piece of evidence or the case wasn't going well.

"We were drunk and took a cab. We stopped two blocks from here because that was all the cash we had on us. We got to the store and bought the condoms and I remember coming back here. We took each other's clothes off, and we made love - three times."

Eric's excitement was beginning to fade. "Does this mean you're changing your mind?"

Calleigh looked at him in the eye, saying seductively. "Never."

He smiled at her and kissed her again. They kissed for a few moments before laying down again, their kisses becoming more insistent and heated. Eric was hard, he wanted to be inside her and instinctively rubbed against her. Reaching her hand between them, she massaged his erection, Eric thrusting into her hand. As his kisses became more insistent, Calleigh's legs opened and he was pushing inside her. She was hot, very tight and so wet. It was like being held with a vice, she was so small.

Calleigh's eyes widened as he settled inside and grabbed the sheets beside her head. "Oh God," she said, but in her southern twang it sounded like "Owe Gawd."

"Don't move," Eric breathed painfully. "God, don't move."

Calleigh's muscles had relaxed and she felt ready. She licked his earlobe and smiled at him. "Why not?"

"Because I'm going to cum," Eric said, sounding pained. Eric hung his head, taking a deep breath and tried to regain control.

It was difficult for Calleigh to remain still as this gorgeous man hovered above her. He had the softest skin of any man she knew and the softest lips. She immediately thought of spending her days off having sex with him; she wanted to do things to him she had never considered before.

Calleigh looked up at him and started a pace, her eyes challenging Eric to move back. Eric kissed her on her lips, sliding his tongue in and out of her mouth as he moved inside her. They were making love slowly as Calleigh wrapped her legs around his waist.

Just when she felt she couldn't feel anymore pleasure, Eric reached down and tucked her knees over his shoulders, sliding in deeper, causing her to let out a surprised: "Ohhhh."

Eric quickened his pace and she could feel herself getting close.

Calleigh couldn't form a sentence. "Oh...my...God...oh..."

Eric thrust three times, hard and fast causing her to thrash beneath him as her pleasure took over. Eric watched in complete awe.

"You're so beautiful," he said, wiping her hair back from her face.

Calleigh kissed him and squeezed her muscles inside. Eric groaned and began to move again.

"I'm getting close, babe," Eric warned and Calleigh produced a condom from under the pillow. She sighed as he pulled out and bit her lip as he slid back inside her.

Calleigh breathed. "I want you to -"

Eric thrust hard, her voice cutting off and she moaned loudly. His pace was frantic and Calleigh felt herself getting close again. His dark skin was beginning to glisten with sweat and he stared at her naked body.

"God, Cal-" he struggled before shaking above her.

Calleigh smiled and reached between them, rubbing herself until she came again. It took Eric a few minutes to regain clear thought as Eric rested on top of her. She stroked his hair and kissed his neck.

"Wow," Eric said.

"I know," Calleigh said quietly, looking away from him as he took off the condom. "I'm impressed you remembered."

"Are you mad?" Eric asked concerned, leaning down to her.

"That's very sweet," she said and kissed his lips. "Actually, you probably just saved us - I'm not on anything."

Eric was shocked. "Really?"

Calleigh shrugged. "After John... I didn't want to get involved and it was making my emotions crazy. I cried for no reason. I was suddenly happy but then upset. If you're not a teenage girl, the emotional roller coaster isn't worth it."

Eric looked at her in disbelief. "I never would have noticed."

Calleigh shrugged. "I was embarrassed the lab and PD knew about John and I. When it ended, I was even more embarrassed. I decided to go off the pill as a deterrent from getting involved again."

"No protection for something you can't be hurt by," Eric mused and shrugged his shoulders. "I can't say my history has been spotless. After all the things I did, all the stupid mistakes, the girls... It was because it was easier than letting someone else in."

"Losing Tim was hard. I was – I don't know," Calleigh sighed, wanting to choose her words wisely. "I was glad we finally went to have a drink for Tim, in memory."

"You were dressed for more than just a memoriam drink," Eric remembered and she chuckled. "You were wearing those kind of boots."

"I haven't gone out in a while. I wanted to dress up," she justified with a mock pout.

Eric smiled. "You looked fantastic."

Calleigh blushed. "Thank-you. You looked pretty handsome yourself."

"I remembered having a few too many drinks," he said. "We did three rounds of shots."

"What were they called?" she asked. "Dirty whores?"

Eric laughed, laying next to her. "Dirty Hookers."

Calleigh nodded, kissing his left temple. "Oh right."

Eric kissed her neck. "You're such a tease."

Calleigh feigned a look of shock. "Me? I am just a friendly southern girl."

They laughed and Calleigh kissed him again. It wasn't long before Eric was hard again and he was pulling her on top of him. She put on the condom and lowered herself onto him. It was almost too much, to see her riding him; her long hair wild and curly. She looked so exotic, she looked so wild. They finished together and he held her in his arms until she fell asleep.


	4. Back to Reality

It was five thirty when Eric was awakened by his beeper on the night stand. Calleigh lay beside him, naked, still sleeping. Eric picked up his beeper with the message: "Murder, 10159 Hamilton Boulevard. Call dispatch."

Eric sat up in the bed and found Calleigh's phone. "Hi this is CSI Eric Delko. I just got paged."

"Hi Eric. It's Nina, We've got a murder on Hamilton Boulevard. Where are you right now?" the dispatcher asked.

"Not far from there, I can be there soon," he replied. "Who else is on call?"

"Calleigh and Ryan," Nina replied. "I'm calling them next."

Eric smiled. "Tell patrol I'll be there in thirty minutes."

"All right, talk to you later," Nina said and hung up the phone.

Eric nudged Calleigh softly. "Time to wake up."

Calleigh's eyes opened slowly and she yawned. "What's going on?"

"There's a murder on Hamilton, we have to get going."

Calleigh's telephone rang then and she stretched across the bed to reach it. "Hello? Hi Nina. I'll be there in thirty minutes. Thanks." Putting the phone down, Calleigh stretched again. "Do you want the shower first or should I?"

Eric grinned and waggled his eyebrows at her, "We could share it."

Calleigh got off the bed and walked into the bathroom. The shower started and she called from the washroom, "Would you like to join me, Mister Delko?"

Eric jumped off the bed and stepped inside behind her. The water was hot and felt good on her skin. Even after a night of drinking, Eric looked gorgeous. He kissed her neck, moving their bodies under the stream of hot water. It was enough to make Calleigh groan with his dark buttery skin, half lidded eyes and the stubble on his cheek against her neck was driving her crazy.

She picked up the soap and began washing his back, moving her soapy hands from his toned abs to his backside. She lathered him from his ankles to his knees and when she was finished Eric took turns doing the same to her.

"When are we supposed to be at the scene?" Calleigh asked, and gasped as he bit on the inside of her thigh. Her green eyes were half-lidded and her mouth was forming an O as she let Eric kiss her.

Eric looked up at her and then glanced at the clock inside the shower. "Twenty minutes." He went back to kissing her legs and belly but Calleigh pulled away.

"We should get out of here," Calleigh said.

Eric groaned and stood up. "But I'm..."

Calleigh smiled at him seductively as she rinsed off her body. She put her robe on, and Eric followed holding a towel around his waist and a pout on his face.

Calleigh smiled. "I don't think we have time."

"I'll be quick, I promise," Eric negotiated and gave her a wink.

"As much as I'd love to," she whispered in his ear and bit the lobe. "I think we should just wait until we're off. I don't know how professional it is to show up at work smelling like sex."

Eric groaned. "I wouldn't mind."

At that moment there was a knock on the door and Calleigh's eyes widened. "Put your clothes on and wait in the living room."

Eric dressed on his way down the hall; boxers, jeans, T-shirt and button up shirt. Calleigh emerged from the bedroom in black pants and pink long sleeved, low cut shirt. She had pulled her hair up into another messy bun and called to the door she was coming.

She was rolling up her sleeves and tossed Eric his socks.

"Hey Ryan," she greeted with a smile.

"Hey Calleigh, I brought you a coffee." Ryan said, handing her a cup. "I thought you might need a ride."

Calleigh smiled, "Thank you, that was sweet."

Eric appeared behind her and Ryan's jaw dropped. "Ready to go?" Eric asked.

Calleigh nodded. "Let's get moving."

"I brought yours and mine, I didn't know Eric would be here," Ryan said.

Calleigh looked up at Ryan from where she put on her shoes, "Isn't there a spare kit in the car?"

Eric put his hands on his hips, his fingers pointing down. "We usually carry a spare." He slapped Ryan on the back. "It's no big deal. I'll just take from Calleigh's kit."

Calleigh smiled. "Just as long as you restock it later."

Ryan watched Calleigh lock up her apartment and followed her downstairs, joining Eric who was already waiting by the car. "I should probably run home. I don't have my gun or my badge."

"Is there time?" Calleigh asked, looking at her watch.

Ryan looked around the street for Eric's car. "Where's your car? Do you want us to drop you off someplace?"

"I parked way down the street," Eric lied. "Calleigh can I borrow your car to take to the station?"

Calleigh handed him her keys and he gave her a wink before running off.

"We'll meet you at the scene!" she called after him and climbed into the Hummer with Ryan.

Ryan started the Hummer and pulled onto the street. "The exact address is in the dispatch, could you read it for me?"

Calleigh punched in her request into the dispatch computer to find if they were travelling east or west. It was fifteen minutes before they reached the scene, hitting a line of traffic at the Starbucks on the corner.

"I can't believe this," Ryan said, throwing his head against the headrest. "Traffic and we're going two blocks from your house."

Calleigh looked out the window, down the street. "I think someone was in an accident."

Ryan turned on the sirens and many of the cars attempted to get out of their way. As they approached the building Alexx was walking up with the gurney. The street around the building had been taped off and several uniformed cops stood at the edge of the tape, keeping back reporters and bystanders.

Ryan and Calleigh flashed their badges and signed in with Officer Johnson before making their way into the building. The sign said Hamilton Boulevard Bakery but Calleigh had never heard of the shop before. It was just like any other bakery Calleigh had seen however in Miami, bakeries were about as common as meeting someone who hated the Florida sunshine.

"Hey guys," Alexx greeted. "Officer on the scene said we've got two dead bodies inside."

Ryan nodded. "I'll do trace, you can do photos?"

Calleigh agreed. "Sounds good."

The bakery still smelled of yeast but the strong metallic smell of blood was more evident. Posters of old New York City hung on the walls, the posters on the left wall hit with blood spatter.

Detective Frank Tripp was waiting inside with the first victim Alexx would attend to.

"Two DB's; Elena Torez 35 and Carmen Torez 16. Witnesses say they worked in the bakery for the last three weeks. Carmen was strangled and Elena was stabbed to death. Looks like a normal bakery but the ovens in the back are cool."

Alexx knelt down to Elena. "What happened to you Elena?"

Calleigh and Ryan waited for Alexx to assess the victims before taking pictures and working on the trace evidence. Ryan was using his crime light to go over the body when Eric arrived. Ryan sat back for a moment to let Calleigh take some pictures.

"How's it going?" Eric asked.

Ryan leaned into the body, using his tweezers to remove a short brown hair from the sweater Elena Torez was wearing. "It looks like we have strand of short brown hair," he said, putting the hair into an evidence envelope. "Carmen and Elena both have long black hair."

Calleigh continued taking pictures of the body, looking concerned. "Doesn't it seem strange to have two different types of COD at the same crime scene?"

Alexx sat up. "Honey that's not my area."

Eric cleared his throat. "Doesn't this remind you of another case?"

Calleigh nodded, avoiding his gaze. "Copycat killer of the Kramer case?"

"It's just too random," Ryan said, looking around the bakery. "A mother and daughter murdered. There's a bigger chance these two were in the way of a laundering operation."

Eric kept his eyes on Calleigh but directed his comment to Ryan. "I guess we have our work cut out for us."

Alexx glanced over at Eric and smiled knowingly. "I'm going to get this body back to the morgue and take a look at Carmen."

"I'll get working on printing the store," Eric said.

Ryan followed Alexx to the Carmen's body while Calleigh remained to photograph the area in which she died. It was possible that any little thing could be the key to the killer's undoing. Ryan began to mark the blood trail, swabbing each drop after Calleigh had photographed it.

"You're not going to be on Valera's favourite list," Calleigh teased Ryan as he wrote on the swab box.

"The blood trail from the girl stops abruptly right here," Ryan said, pointing at his spot between Carmen and Elena's point of death.

Calleigh knelt down with her flash light ready. She studied the ground at the last blood drop, following it's eventual path. "There's no disturbance here."

"Maybe the killer wiped knife clean," Ryan speculated. "If I were Horatio, I would say that we should follow the blood drops."

"The blood trail from the girl leads to counter but then stops," Calleigh said and noticed some spatter on the ten foot ceiling. "There's some spatter up there."

Finding blood spatter on the ceiling was the beginning of a long evening. It wasn't a big bakery but photographing everything which seemed suspicious took over three hours, even with Ryan, Calleigh and Eric working together.

The door frame hadn't offered as much as many robbery/murders do. They had picked up a piece of thread from the latch on the door and Eric lifted a palm print from the glass. There were no surveillance cameras in the building but eight stores on the street had them, including the corner store Eric had visited that morning.

In the kitchen they found nothing out of the ordinary except for the cold ovens. Calleigh collected any paperwork from the office she could get her hands on while Eric printed the office.

They had collected several shoe prints and Eric had lifted over fifty fingerprints. Ryan volunteered to drive the full evidence bin back to the lab before they had even finished swabbing the last blood droplet.

Part of him hoped the criminals were as stupid as to not wear gloves however the other part hoped they could catch the guy on something less easy.

As they exited the bakery to head back to the lab, Calleigh yawned.

"Want to get another coffee?" Ryan asked. Eric mentally kicked himself for not offering first. "Maybe that Starbucks is still open."

Eric looked at his watch. "I think we should work for another hour or so and then head home. Working on this with fresh eyes would be smart."

Calleigh nodded her head. "I think so too."

"Ready to go then?" he asked, taking her arm and leading her to the Hummer he drove here.

Calleigh glanced over her shoulder to see Ryan looking a little left out but sighed, knowing the drive back to the lab would be a good time to talk. "Sure. Ryan we'll see you back at the lab."

Ryan put the evidence bin in the back of the Hummer he drove. "You get the coffee's then."

Calleigh smiled. "Sure thing."

They rode in silence until they reached the highway, Eric breaking the silence first.

"I think Ryan has a crush on you," he stated, glancing in her direction to see her grinning.

"Why do you say that?" Calleigh asked, crossing her arms and leaning against the door to better face him.

Eric shrugged. "He was pretty hurt when he saw me at your place."

Calleigh waved her hand dismissively. "Oh he just probably felt left out."

Eric laughed. "Baby, I'm not into those."

Calleigh blushed. "I'm not either!"

Eric pulled off the highway and pulled into a Krispy Kreme parking lot. "Want some doughnuts?"

Calleigh's eyes lit up. "Yes!"

Eric had barely put the car in park when Calleigh jumped out of the car. She was already at the counter watching the young cashier put two dozen doughnuts into two large boxes.

Eric caught up with her, a little breathless and confused. "Hungry?"

The cashier handed Eric the doughnuts and Calleigh took the drink tray that held the four large coffees. "Have a good day."

Calleigh grabbed Eric's arm and turned him to the door. Eric pointed with this thumb over his shoulder to the till. "Don't we have to pay?"

Calleigh shook her head. "I already got it."

Eric frowned as they exited to the cool night. "I could have got it."

"I'm just paying you back for the whip cream this morning," Calleigh shrugged and followed Eric to the passenger door.

Eric was surprised Calleigh brought it up first, looking down at her with the keys in his hand. "I told you it was on me."

She slipped her hand into the back pocket of his jeans. "Maybe later."

Eric's eyes widened and she gave him an innocent smile.

"Can you unlock my door for me now, please?" Calleigh said, smiling wide and batting her long eyelashes at him.

Eric opened the door for her, taking the coffees so she put her seat belt on without the danger of spill hot coffee on herself. Placing the coffee on the floor, Eric handed her the doughnuts and leaned into the car, whispering in her ear.

"You ARE a tease," he said low and she shivered. Eric got into the car, shaking his head with a grin. "All right, let's get back to the lab."


	5. Admission

It was close to two a.m. when they finished organising everything for the next morning. The air in Miami was colder and moist, warning the city for rain. Eric looked up at the indigo sky to see faint clouds on the horizon. Even at two o'clock in the morning, the city was rumbling to wake.

As Eric, Ryan and Calleigh were leaving the lab, Ryan yawned loudly.

"What time did Horatio say he wanted us back?" Ryan asked, tiredly.

"Eight a.m.," Calleigh replied with the same lack of energy. She rolled her head back and let out a long breath. "I need some sleep."

"I'll drive us back to your place," Eric said calmly and Calleigh's eyes widened and her face went blank. Eric glanced at Ryan over Calleigh's shoulder, who was watching them intrigued. "To get my car."

Calleigh smiled and nodded. "Right! Your car! Because you left it down the street from my apartment!"

Eric couldn't hide his amused smile. "Right."

Ryan put his hand on Calleigh's back lightly. "Good night, you guys."

Calleigh smiled up at him and watched him walk to his car. "Bye."

On the drive back to Calleigh's it wasn't long before she had fallen asleep in the passenger seat. The roads would be quiet for another hour or so for the night club crowd to get out onto the road. It only took twenty minutes to arrive, a drive he noted was much easier without the Miami congestion. Pulling into her parking space behind the building, Eric felt guilty for waking her. She looked so innocent and relaxed.

Eric brushed an errant hair back from her face. "Calleigh?"

Calleigh stirred, her green eyes opening slightly and smiling at him. "Where are we?"

"We're at your place," Eric said.

Calleigh didn't change her curled up position. "Are you going to stay?" she asked softly.

Eric nodded. "If you want me to."

Calleigh looked concerned. "You have to carry me. I'm too exhausted to walk."

Eric smiled and turned off the car. He picked up his bag from the trunk and walked around the car to get her. Calleigh extended her arms and Eric lifted her with ease into a fireman's carry.

It wasn't difficult for Eric to manoeuvre around her apartment with her in his arms. Eric took her shoes off and his at the door and walked down the hall quietly, hoping not to wake her.

As he laid her on the bed, Eric put his backpack on the chair and unloaded some clothes for tomorrow morning so he would look presentable at the scene.

"Eric," Calleigh called softly and Eric sat on the bed next to her. "We're back at my apartment."

Eric smiled. "Yes we are."

"I'm glad," she sighed and swung her legs over the bed.

Eric watched her walk into the bathroom and from his spot on the bed, he could see her brush her teeth and wash her face. Shedding her clothes and placing them in the hamper, she pulled on a pair of men's' pyjamas.

Eric couldn't help but watch. It was hard not to feel entranced as this woman who had it all together, sloppily fell into bed.

"Eric stop staring and come to bed," Calleigh said as she pulled back the covers. Eric got off the bed and brushed his teeth, shed his clothes and climbed into bed next to her, wearing his boxers.

Calleigh reached for him and pulled his arms around her, feeling safe. It was funny to think if they hadn't decided to finally honour Tim, they would have never been in this position and Calleigh chuckled softly.

Eric kissed the top of her head. "What is it?"

Calleigh sighed. "I was thinking about Tim and the irony of all of this."

"What do you mean?" he asked, rubbing his hands up and down her back gently.

"We went on the intent to be honouring him and we had a really good time. We were remembering something really bad and I think we got too drunk," she said, turning around to face Eric. She slid closer to him on the bed and put her hand on his hip. "But I'm glad we did. He would have wanted us to move on."

Eric was silent for a moment. "I think so too."

"I wonder sometimes what our lives would be like if he was still with us," Calleigh mused. "How different the lab would be."

"You wouldn't have Ryan following you around all the time," Eric noted dryly and Calleigh swatted his arm playfully. "I'm just saying that guy has had eyes for you since he worked on your dad's case."

Calleigh kissed Eric's lips. "You're jealous."

Eric feigned a look of offence. "No."

Calleigh kissed him again. "I think it's cute."

"I'm not," Eric repeated.

Calleigh smiled. "Eric..."

Eric sighed in frustration. "Of course I am! I see the way guys look at you. I see the guys ask you out. It's not easy when one of them is your co-worker."

"You're my co-worker," Calleigh reminded him. "You're my best friend."

Eric ran his finger down the collar of her shirt and kneaded her chest. "I'm more than your co-worker. And I don't want to be just your friend anymore. Take a chance with me on this."

Calleigh kissed him again, deepening the kiss and pulling him on top of her. "I'm taking a big chance."

Eric looked down at their pelvis' pressing into one another and her legs wrap around his waist. Looking into her eyes he saw the look from the night before. "Miss Duquesne, are you trying to seduce me?"

Calleigh laughed and he pressed his arousal harder into her and she gasped. "Eric..."

"You're not playing fair," Eric said, low and kissed her deeply.

It was all he could do not to kiss her forever. Her soft tongue against his, the way she moaned when he moved his hand from her hip up to her breast and the way her body fit so perfectly with his.

Calleigh played with the hair on the back of his neck. "Eric... What if Horatio found out? Would you care if Alexx knew? What if every woman in Miami wanted you? Would it be enough to be with me?"

"Calleigh, do you want me here?" he asked her and Calleigh nodded. "I couldn't just sleep with you and never want to touch you again."

Calleigh kissed him and blinked her eyes slowly. Eric wanted nothing more than to make love softly to her until they fell asleep but knew if they were tired at work tomorrow it would be his fault. Once was never enough with her.

Eric left a trail of kisses down her chin to her neck and bit her, harder than he had before. She let out a cry of pleasure and surprise. He unbuttoned her shirt and began to bite and lick her. It wasn't enough for him and he began taking her pants off.

Calleigh couldn't believe he was doing this again. Part of her wanted to tackle him to the bed and have her way with him but the sensible part of her brain wanted to sleep so she wouldn't have to explain to Horatio why she was falling asleep at a crime scene.

Eric was placing kisses across her pelvis, at the hemline of her panties. She sucked her breath in anticipation as Eric pulled her panties off.

"Eric..."

"You said later," he justified.

Eric looked at her in the eye as manoeuvred himself to be eye level with her. He kissed her deeply and he settled himself between her thighs.

Calleigh could feel him through his boxers and she could feel her anticipation growing. He touched her between her legs and she gasped and moaned as his large fingers brought her to orgasm.

"I want you," he said huskily and took his boxers off with one hand.

Calleigh reached for the night stand and pulled out a condom. It didn't take her one second to put it on before Eric was inside her.

"Oh God," she moaned as he made love to her gently.

She was feeling close to climaxing again, his slow pace relaxing her and exciting her at the same time. Suddenly Calleigh shouted his name and she arched her back, allowing her pleasure to take over.

Eric kissed her again and quickened his pace, allowing him to finish as well. He left the bed to toss away the condom and came back to pull Calleigh into his arms. She had put on her night shirt and underwear again and handed Eric his boxers.

Eric pulled her close, whispering in her ear as she drifted off. "You're making me fall in love with you. And I don't care if the whole city knows it."


	6. Ten Minutes

The next morning Calleigh's alarm went off at seven and Eric groaned at the bright sunlight in her room. Calleigh moved to press the snooze button but was held down but a large arm around her waist.

"Eric..." she started and Eric hugged her tighter to his body. "Eric I need to turn off the radio."

Eric shook his head into her hair and pulled her body tight to his. "No moving. I'm not getting out of bed for another five hours."

"Eric, get up," Calleigh said, poking him in the arm.

Eric slipped his hand under her night shirt and his other hand slipping into the hem of her underwear. "I have just enough energy for one thing, then I'm going back to sleep until I can do it again."

Calleigh laughed as she tried to shrug off the temptation. There was a big part of her that wanted to stay in bed all day with the gorgeous man who held her so tightly in his arms. But the rational part of Calleigh knew her duty came before all else. She knew Eric was joking as well but she hoped he would stop before she was too far gone to know what time it was.

Eric kissed her neck and bit down, hard enough she knew she would be marked. His hands began to move under her clothes, one cupping her breast and the other slipping down to her sex. Calleigh gasped and her body responded willingly.

Calleigh moaned. "Okay, I'll just tell Horatio you were too tired to come in because we were having sex."

Eric's eyes opened and he released his grip on her. "I'll get the coffee."

"Letting me use the shower first? You're quite the gentleman," Calleigh praised and slowly walked toward the bathroom.

Eric could hear the shower turn on immediately and he stumbled toward the kitchen to start the coffee. It felt so domestic to be with her in her apartment, making coffee while she showered. Eric brushed his teeth and waited patiently for Calleigh to finish when he got a wicked idea and joined her inside.

"Excuse me?" she asked, looking him up and down. She was rinsing the conditioner out of her hair and looked a little concerned there was a naked man five inches from her body.

Eric smiled. "I thought we should conserve water. Miami is in hurricane season right now, you know."

Calleigh laughed and leaned up on her toes to kiss him. Eric touched her She ran her fingers through her scalp one last time. "All right, Environment Man. I'm getting dressed now."

Eric pulled her back into the shower and kissed her under the stream of water deeply before letting go of her arm.

"Okay, go. I've got a lot of Environment Man problems to face today," Eric put his fists on his hips, standing like Superman, smiling at her as though he were a super hero. Calleigh laughed and shook her head. Eric smiled to himself, enjoying their new found intimacy.

Ryan arrived at the lab just after Calleigh and Eric, finding them in the lab, looking over prints.

"Hey guys, what did I miss?" Ryan asked, buttoning his lab coat.

Eric looked up from the photographs. "We're waiting on DNA. We need to go around to local stores, to ask if they saw anything yesterday. I can stay in the lab to work on the gathered evidence."

Ryan nodded. "Calleigh and I will go around to the stores in the area, see if anyone saw anything."

Calleigh followed Ryan out to the Hummer and got in the passenger side and waited for Ryan to start the car.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Although Ryan was agressive and zealous when it came to case work, he wasn't completely oblivious to her. He asked about her transfer to Trace Evidence from Ballistics and when he tried to press the issue later Calleigh's eyes welled up and she changed the subject.

"I'm fine, why?" she asked with a tight smile.

"You seem different today," Ryan noted and Calleigh shrugged. "Tired?"

Calleigh nodded. "I don't know what time I fell asleep at but it wasn't until after three."

Ryan started the car. "Need some coffee?"

Calleigh shook her head. "I think just some breakfast."

Ryan said nothing as he drove them to a nearby diner.

Calleigh smiled at him affectionately. "You're going to feed me?"

"But then you have to get lunch," Ryan warned.

Calleigh nodded. "That's fine."

Inside the diner, nearly half the tables were filled with patrol cops or detectives. Calleigh and Ryan took two seats at the counter and Ryan immediately ordered a cinnamon waffle for Calleigh and a big breakfast for himself.

"I guess crime is taking a day off," Ryan said, leaning in to her ear.

Calleigh smiled at Ryan and gave him a playful nudge.

"Do you want some coffee?" the waitress asked, tapping her order pad with her pen.

Ryan held up two fingers. "She's going to want a large glass of ice and a small glass of orange juice." Calleigh nodded to the waitress. "Oh, and can you get her some whip cream and syrup for her waffle? And we'll both have water."

Ryan handed her two packets of sugar and some cream before she could even ask for it. He looked past her, out the window, with a sigh, as though his actions were perfectly normal.

"Since when did you learn my breakfast?" Calleigh asked, in disbelief.

Ryan looked at her like it was the most obvious answer in the world. "I've gone for breakfast with my old partner enough times to know that you learn what a lady likes."

Calleigh thanked the waitress when she brought the her juice and ice. "Your last partner was a woman?"

She poured her juice over the ice and took a sip, looking satisfied at the sugar now in her system. She brushed her hair back over her shoulder, which she was wearing long and straight today, down her back. Ryan studied her for a moment and leaned against the back of the stool.

Ryan nodded. "Her name was Erin Dean, she was from Louisiana and she is probably the complete opposite of you."

"How is she so different from me?" she asked.

"She was tall," Ryan started and Calleigh gave him a playful nudge. "Short brown hair, raised in New Orleans. I'm pretty sure she said her parents were mormons. Oldest of three sisters."

"If that's not the anthithesis of me, I don't know what is," she replied with a chuckle.

"But she didn't mind if I knew how she wanted her breakfast," he said.

Calleigh smiled. "You've never really talked about her. You know, I didn't even know her name."

"She was really cool," Ryan said, pointing outside as the rain started coming down. "I hope we got any evidence we might have needed from outside the building."

Calleigh looked over her shoulder, to the rain coming down. "Eric checked outside, took some shoe prints and lifted some evidence. I think that's what he's going over at the lab."

"Don't tell him I took you for breakfast," Ryan teased. "He'll be a jealous."

Calleigh looked up from her plate as she carefully spread whip cream over her waffle. "Why would he be jealous?"

"He's always trying to get me to fork over money for his food," Ryan said and took a large bite of peanut butter covered toast. "It's disgusting."

"Oh charming," Calleigh laughed. "Eat up, we have to go be cops in a minute."

They had interviewed thirteen storeowners, all who said they hadn't witnesses anything out of the ordinary. They offered their surveillance tapes over and Calleigh was ready to turn in when Ryan pulled in front of the corner store near her home.

"What are we doing here?" Calleigh asked, suddenly worried.

Ryan stretched. "They're the only other store which has a surveillance camera outside. This could be on the killer's escape route. It's the closest place which sells Band-Aids and if the killer cut himself when he stabbed Elena it would make sense to come here."

Calleigh was worried the cashier from before would recognise her and make another comment, telling Ryan and then eventually the whole lab. 'Just suck it up and go in there. He might not say something if he knows you're on duty."

The sky cracked with thunder and suddenly the rain was pouring down harder than the weatherman predicted. Calleigh approached the young man behind the counter.

"Hi there. I was hoping you could help me out," Calleigh started with her southern charm and a smile.

The young man gulped. "What do you need?"

Calleigh opened her jacket enough to show her badge and gun. "Is there anyone around who was working Sunday morning to late Sunday afternoon?"

The young man nodded. "That was me and my father."

"Did you see anyone come in on Sunday out of the ordinary? Anyone who bought Band-Aids in a hurry?" Ryan asked, approaching the counter next to Calleigh.

The young man thought for a minute. "I sold some super glue to a guy I haven't seen before."

Calleigh took out her notepad and wrote down that his name tag said Greg. "What time was that at?"

"He came in around 6 a.m. with a cut on his hand," he replied.

Calleigh smiled at him again. "Greg, could you describe this man to me? Was he tall, short? Fat, thin? Hispanic or white?"

"He was a big Puerto Rican guy, maybe thirtyish," Greg guessed and nodded toward Calleigh. "He looked a little older than you."

Calleigh smiled. "Big as in muscular or big as in overweight?"

"He was muscular and he had a lot of tattoos," Greg said. "There are a lot of Hispanics in the neighbourhood, it's Miami. But not a lot that looked like him. Most of the people who come in are artsy or elderly."

Calleigh nodded in agreement. "Did he have long hair, short hair?"

Ryan was writing down everything Greg was telling them. "Bald? Afro?"

Greg made a face. "He had short, black hair."

"Is there any way we can get your surveillance cameras from inside and outside the store?" Ryan asked.

A middle-aged man, about fifty, walked behind the counter just then. He was wearing a blue apron with the store logo, 'Day's Pharmacy & Corner Store', on the front. The apron hung off his stomach as though it were maternity wear for a woman in her second trimester. Calleigh had always known him as Jimmy and hoped he wouldn't make an inappropriate comment in front of Ryan.

"Hello," Jimmy said, and his face showed a sign of recognition.

Calleigh looked up at his face and smiled tightly. "Hello, sir. We were just asking your son if you would be willing to offer the surveillance cameras from Sunday morning to Sunday afternoon to us."

Jimmy looked at Calleigh as though he was about to say something else but he nodded. "I'll go to the office to get them."

Ryan watched the man walk away and then studied Calleigh. "Do you know that man?"

Calleigh wasn't sure what to say. "My house is two blocks away, I come here when I run out of milk."

Greg's face lit up. "I remember you! I didn't know you were a cop."

Calleigh smiled. "I'm a CSI."

Greg nodded, impressed. "Cool."

Jimmy handed Calleigh four video tapes. She put them into an evidence bag, thanked the pair, and left quickly. Ryan caught up with her at the car.

"What's the hurry?" he asked, opening her door for her.

Calleigh looked up. It had stopped raining but she could tell it would start again soon. "If there's anything on the tapes we'll come back to print the store. Maybe we can get a print that's on CODIS."

Ryan started the car. "All right, let's go look at the tapes."

Eric found Calleigh in the locker room, after looking everywhere in the lab except for where he found her. She was standing at her locker, her hands on her jacket as though she was debating whether to take it off or not.

"Hey," he said, quietly approaching her.

Calleigh looked up at him and smiled, sadly. "Did you get anything from the prints at the bakery?"

Eric ignored her question. "Are you okay?"

Calleigh nodded. "I'm great. How are you?"

Eric put one hand on her back, tugging on her jacket to bring her close to him. "I'm good, better now."

Calleigh could smell his cologne and the natural scent of his body. It was dangerous for her to be this close to him at work. It was dangerous for the both of them to stand in a locker room alone, with their emotions running high on a lack of sleep.

Eric brushed her hair back over her shoulder and she licked her lips, glancing from his eyes to his lips. "Did you eat lunch?"

Calleigh recognised the tone in his voice. It was the same from the morning before and a chill ran down her back. "Not yet. I just had breakfast."

Eric glanced at his watch. "It's three thirty."

Calleigh smiled. "Then no, I didn't eat lunch yet."

"Want to get something?" Eric asked, his hand moving from her jacket to the hem, a finger moving along her back.

Calleigh nodded and took a step away from him. "What are you doing?" her voice suddenly cool.

Eric looked confused. "I'm trying to feed you."

Calleigh laughed. "Are you?"

"Yes, I want to feed you. Italian?" Eric offered.

"I'll meet you outside in ten minutes," Calleigh replied. "I just want to make sure Tyler doesn't start on the tapes without me."

Eric nodded. "I have to wrap things up with Valera anyway."

Calleigh shut her locker and looked up at him, her eyes suggestive but her voice professional. "Ten minutes."


	7. Lunch

Tyler was beginning to go over the tapes with Ryan, working on the Day Corner Store tapes first.

"What time did you say the murder was at?" Tyler asked.

Calleigh took a breath. "Hey guys."

Ryan looked over his shoulder. "Hey, we're just starting on the Day tapes."

Calleigh nodded. "Alexx said the estimated time of death was at five a.m. Sunday morning."

Tyler nodded. "So should I start around four a.m.?"

Calleigh's heart began to race and she stood between the chairs Ryan and Tyler were sitting in. "Tyler did you get anything off the other tapes?"

Tyler shook his head. "No, Ryan wanted to start with these."

"Have you had lunch yet, Tyler?" Calleigh asked, laying on her accent thick.

Tyler smiled. "No, did you want to treat me to something?"

Calleigh sat on the edge of the desk. "Well, I had an idea to maybe go for some Italian with Eric. Did you want to join us? My treat."

Tyler's smile grew. "Well..."

"We've got ten tapes to get through before the end of the day," Ryan protested.

"You can come too," Calleigh said to Ryan.

"I have to work on those prints," Ryan replied. "Can you bring me back something?"

"Sure," Calleigh replied and looked at Tyler again. "So, what do you say? Want something to eat?"

Tyler cleared his throat. "I have some surveillance tapes to go over for another investigation if you want to come back with something for me."

Calleigh smiled. "I'll be back in half an hour if you can wait till then. If you want to go over the prints, Ryan, I can do the tapes."

Tyler nodded. "Sounds good."

When she met Eric outside, Calleigh felt a little better about the surveillance tapes but still had to find an explanation for Tyler if it turned out there was video evidence of her and Eric buying condoms and Eric coming back for whip cream in the morning.

Eric flashed her his pearly whites. "Hungry?"

Calleigh nodded emphatically. "Starving."

Eric drove them to a small Italian bistro a few blocks away. The tables were adorned with checkered table cloths, a small vase with pink, yellow and blue flowers and were set for two.

"Table for two?" the young woman at the door greeted.

Eric nodded, putting his hand on Calleigh's back and hooking his thumb under the back of her shirt.

"Will lunch take long?" Calleigh asked, checking her watch. "I need to get something to go when we're finished."

The young woman set down two menus on the table, with a shake of her head. "Just let the waitress know when you're ready to go and she'll have it ready."

Calleigh thanked her and Eric gave Calleigh a questioning look the hostess had gone.

"What are you getting?" Eric asked.

"Lunch for Tyler and Ryan. I had to buy them lunch so they wouldn't review the tapes until we got back," Calleigh explained, looking over her menu. She took out her cell phone and called Ryan. "Hi, it's me. Do you know what you want for lunch?"

Eric watched Calleigh take Ryan and Tyler's order, her face relaxed and her hand writing quickly on her notepad. "Okay. Great. I'll be back in forty minutes."

The waitress approached then, her pad ready. "Hi, how are you doing?"

"Great. We're ready to order, if that's okay," Eric replied and the young girl nodded with an overly friendly smile. "Cal?"

Calleigh glanced down at the menu. "I'll take the lasagne and two more of those to go in half an hour."

Eric ordered the same and the waitress returned with their drinks, salad and a basket of warm bread.

"Did you get anywhere with the fingerprints?" Calleigh asked.

Eric reached across the table and took her hand. "I don't want to talk about work right now."

Calleigh looked from his hand on hers to his face. "What would you like to talk about?"

Eric raised his eyebrows. "You. Are you okay with this?"

It was hard to say no but she wanted to tell the truth. It wasn't that Calleigh didn't love being with Eric and she certainly wasn't embarrassed about their relationship. She was embarrassed at her behaviour.

"I think I was just thrown by going back to Day's Store," she replied. "I was worried it would be totally public and I'm just not sure if I'm ready for that."

"Are you worried about what you'll see?" he asked and she nodded. Eric leaned back in his chair. "Do you want me in the room when Tyler reviews them?"

Calleigh nodded. "Yes, please."

"I'm in this, both feet, Calleigh," Eric assured her.

Calleigh's face lit up. "Yeah?"

"This is something important, something that says who cares who knows," Eric said and Calleigh opened her mouth to respond. Eric held up his hand, stopping her. "But if you're not ready for people to know about us, then I won't say anything. But we're not doing anything wrong."

Calleigh sighed. "I'm not quite ready."

"Then it's up to you, and for what it's worth," Eric said, his finger tracing a lazy circle on her wrist. "I'll keep it out of work for as long as you like."

Calleigh wanted to kiss him. "Thank-you."


	8. A Clue

Forty minutes later Calleigh was balancing the lasagne to take to Tyler. Ryan had instructed Calleigh to leave it in the staff lounge and was on her way to the AV Lab.

The men were waiting for her with the tapes organised, ready for review.

"All set?" Calleigh asked with a forced smile.

Tyler closed his eyes as the smell of the lasagne and bread wafted toward him.

"Should I put this in the fridge?" Calleigh asked holding up the lasagne.

Tyler shook his head and held out his hands to take the container from her. "I'll walk you through it," Tyler said and Eric's eyes widened. "I'm really hungry!" Tyler said defensively.

Tyler moved back from the equipment with his food and Calleigh took a seat in front of the computer.

"The first tape from inside the store, behind the counter is ready to view," Tyler instructed. "You just need to push enter. To fast forward on the tape press Alt F."

Eric glanced and Calleigh who was holding her breath. He followed Tyler's instructions, hoping to God that this wasn't the tape from midnight to five a.m.

"The time at the bottom of the tape says three-thirty," Calleigh said.

Tyler looked up from his food. "Right."

Eric pressed Alt-F to fast forward on the tape to suddenly see Eric walk in the store with Calleigh, dressed for a date rather than a casual drink. If she were to observe as though she were watching any other tape, she would say their behaviour was loose but they weren't too rowdy. As Eric put the condoms on the counter, Calleigh pulled money to pay for it. Eric's hand moved from her back to her butt, which he patted then squeezed.

"Oh dear God," Calleigh said, looking away from the screen.

There it was, plain as day. CSI Eric Delko grabbing the backside of CSI Calleigh 'Bullet-Girl' Duquesne . Two people who try every day to earn the respect and honour of being a police officer and they were doing acts of foreplay in a corner store on video.

Eric pressed Alt-F to fast forward past their presence in the store which included Calleigh kissing Eric, Eric kissing Calleigh and the pair stumbling out of the store.

Tyler looked up from his food. "Anything yet?"

Calleigh's eyes widened and she looked at him over her shoulder. "Are you watching?"

Tyler shook his head. "This is fantastic. My mom doesn't make lasagne this good and she's from Sicily."

Eric cleared his throat. "Time of death for the bakery workers was five a.m. so we should check around there."

Tyler finished his pasta, washing it down with a ginger ale Calleigh had brought him from the break room.

Eric got up for Tyler to get onto the controls and it look less than two minutes for them to find the man who purchased the Super-Glue. They printed off a still of the suspect and found the outside surveillance had him walking up to the store and leaving on foot.

"It's too bad you couldn't print the counter," Tyler said as they were leaving.

"Why's that?" Eric asked.

"Store keeper was Windexed the glass after he left," Tyler said, pointing to the camera.

"He might not have gotten everything," Calleigh said.

"What's that?" Greg asked, pointing at Calleigh's infrared flashlight.

"I'm using this to see if you missed any blood when you used Windex on the counter," Calleigh said absently as she studied the surface. "Eric."

Eric leaned down to the counter to see the droplet of blood on the edge. "Yeah, me too." He swabbed it, sprayed it and smiled when it turned pink.

"We can run this through CODIS and maybe we'll get lucky," Eric said.

Calleigh took out a picture. "Is this the man who you sold the Super Glue?"

Greg nodded. "He's never been in the store before." He gave Eric a funny look. "Most of the hispanic people who live in this area look like you."

"Right," Calleigh noted. "Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"He had good teeth," Greg said and Calleigh and Eric exchanged glanced. Greg flashed them his straight smile. "Braces and headgear for three years. It becomes habit to notice people's teeth."

"Thank you," Calleigh said, picking up her kit. "We'll be in touch."

Eric was quiet on the ride back to the lab. He shut off the car and leaned back against the headrest. Calleigh studied him, his lips forming frown as his brow furrowed in thought. She wanted to reach across the car and wipe away the lines of worry; she wanted to climb in his lap and kiss him until he smiled again like he did on Sunday.

"Eric?" she paused as she took off her seat belt.

"We still don't know why these two women," Eric said, getting out of the car. Calleigh jumped when Eric slammed the door.

Calleigh followed him into the lab, catching up to him in the elevator. Throwing aside the risk at what people would say, she decided to give in and she took his hand with hers. Eric looked down at her hand on his and turned his over, interlacing their fingers.

"We'll find out why," she said softly.

Eric brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her fingers. "I know."

Looking into his eyes, she could see the hunger he had for her earlier that morning. Calleigh's face and neck flushed and she tried not to look at his lips. Eric put his kit down and reached past Calleigh across the elevator to press the emergency stop button.

Bracing herself, she worried what Eric might do. Images of Calleigh and Eric going at it were flashing through her mind. It made her heart race as she pictured him pushing himself into her with her back against the wall, using the rail as leverage and her pants around her ankles.

He smiled, noticing the flush in her skin and her downcast eyes as she avoided his gaze. Pulling her to him Eric kissed her cheek tenderly.

Calleigh took a step back, pulling her hand away from him. "We shouldn't... you know."

Eric nodded and pressed the emergency stop button, the elevator car jarring as it started again.

"It's too bad the Hummer doesn't have tinted windows," Calleigh whispered, smiling secretively.

Eric's jaw dropped slightly. "Oh yeah? Borrow it for a stakeout?"

The doors opened to see Alexx waiting patiently. Eric looked at Alexx with a boyish smile - knowing what she knew, Alexx smiiled at the pair knowingly.

"Good thing I'm not in a rush," Alexx commented, crossing her arms.

Eric looked down at Calleigh and then to Alexx. "What is she talking about?" he asked, trying to sound innocent.

"Please," Alexx scoffed, holding up her hand to Eric. "Honey, my kids have a better poker face."

"C'mon," Calleigh said, biting her lip.

Calleigh walked the blood they swabbed from the corner store to Valera. Eric found Ryan in the lab, his head in his hands, watching the finger prints run through the database.

"Hey," Eric said, taking a seat next to Ryan. "Where are we so far?"

"Well most of the prints in the store are unknowns, which isn't unusual," Ryan said, sounding tired and bored. "Many of the prints matched Carmen and Elena. I'm running the ones you collected in the office now."

Eric handed Ryan a coke. "Have a little caffeine."

"Thanks." Ryan nodded and cracked open the can, looking the lab. "Where's Calleigh?"

Eric shrugged. "With Valera, I think. We got some blood off the counter at the corner store."

"I hope that's more fruitful than this," Ryan said, nodding toward the computer screen.

The computer beeped, letting Ryan and Eric know they had a match.

"Pedro DiSoto," Eric read.

The mug shot looked identical to the picture from the surveillance tapes.

"Arrested for armed robbery in '97 and assault in 2001," Eric said

Ryan printed up the file for them to use. "Last known address outside Miami by forty minutes."

"Road trip," Eric said.


	9. Alexx

"DiSoto's DNA matched to what we found on the counter," Calleigh reported to Tripp, as he stood outside the interrogation room. "There was also another donor in the sample but we didn't get a match in CODIS."

"This guy is about to get buried," Tripp said.

Alexx approached the pair just then, a file in her hand. "Calleigh I've got my autopsy findings. Carmen Torez was two months pregnant."

Calleigh looked up at Alexx, surprised. "Did you take DNA from the baby she was carrying?"

Alexx waved the file. "Right here."

"Did you find anything about the bakery proprietors?" Calleigh asked Tripp as she compared the DNA sheets on Carmen Torez's child and Pedro DiSoto.

"Checked out clean. Andrew and Jamey Harris, brothers from Fort Lauderdale," Tripp reported. "They said they take Sundays off because it's the Lord's Day."

Alexx made a face. "Must be nice."

"Alexx, was there a paternal likeness to Pedro?" Calleigh asked.

"No, honey, I'm sorry. Pedro wasn't the father."

Frank shook his head. "We've got his blood at the scene. Who cares about motive when we've got your evidence to back it up?"

"Unless it was an unwanted pregnancy," Calleigh ventured.

"If Pedro was hired, then we've got a motive," Frank said.

Getting her ducks in a row was Calleigh just being thorough. Unfortunately, Calleigh couldn't find a motive. After pouring over the DiSoto file for forty minutes, she couldn't find a bank statement or anything to link Pedro to a motive to Carmine Torez. Calleigh walked into the autopsy bay with Carmen Torez's file in her hand. The room always felt cold and strange to Calleigh, who preferred the sunlight of the lab.

Alexx was just washing down her table when Calleigh walked in.

"Hi, honey," Alexx greeted, not looking up from her work. "What do you need?"

Calleigh held the file close to her chest. "I was curious about Carmen's pregnancy."

Alexx walked over to the door that had Elena's name on it. "Want me to pull her out?"

Calleigh nodded and Alex pulled over a gurney. "Help me with this."

Calleigh set the file on a nearby table, put on a pair of small gloves and walked over the the fridge. Alexx pulled the shelf out and nodded to the edge of the body bag.

"Grab a hold, and just move her gently," Alexx instructed as though she was showing Calleigh how to make peanut butter cookies. "You ever want to help me move a body again..."

Calleigh waved her hands in front of her with a shake of her head. "You're on your own."

Alexx smiled. "So, you and Eric."

Calleigh looked at Alexx, her face stoic but her eyes worried. "What about us?"

Alexx unzipped the bag and shook her head. "Honey, you can't fool me. I've known you and Eric too long."

"Alexx I assure you, there's nothing going on," Calleigh said, hiding a smile. "We're friends."

Alexx put her hand on her hip and gave Calleigh a look that told her she wasn't fooled. "Calleigh."

"I'm telling you..." Calleigh started. Alexx raised one eyebrow and Calleigh's smile broke through. Her smile grew wide and she threw her hands up. "Alexx, how did you know?"

Alexx grinned. "Well, if I were going to give you a breakdown of symptoms you're in for it - I'd remark on the eyes Eric was giving you at the crime scene, the smile you've been hiding, the look you had on your faces this morning when I found you in the elevator, or the bruise on your collarbone."

Calleigh's hand flew up to cover her collarbone. "What?"

"I wouldn't have noticed until you helped me with the body. Your shirt almost covers it," Alexx said and Calleigh groaned. "Relax, Calleigh. I was looking for it."

Calleigh looked shocked. "Why..."

Alexx laughed. "Eric looks like a biter."

Calleigh's mouth was agape and she was completely flabbergasted. "I... You..."

Alexx continued to laugh. "Oh c'mon, Calleigh."

Calleigh couldn't help but laugh. "He is."

Alexx let out a cackle and slapped her hand on the counter. Eric walked into autopsy just then, looking around for whatever it was that Calleigh and Alexx were laughing at.

"What's so funny?" Eric asked with a slight smile.

Seeing Alexx and Calleigh sharing a laugh over a dead body was not something one might see every day. Calleigh had her left hand over her right shoulder and Eric looked even more confused.

"Oh nothing," Alexx said, waving the air and giving Calleigh a wink.

Eric gave Calleigh a questioning look but Calleigh just shrugged her shoulders. "So, I'm officially out of the loop?"

"Don't worry about it," Calleigh said with a smile and Eric waggled his eyebrows at her. Calleigh turned her attention to Alexx, who was smiling knowingly. "Alexx, would you please tell me if Carmen had any fractures or old broken bones?"

Alexx opened her notes on Carmen Torez. "I can do an X-Ray right now."

A worried expression washed over the medical examiner's face and she crossed her arms as Alexx looked over the film.

"She's got hairline fractures on her facial bones here," Alexx said, drawing her finger along the dark lines. Alexx put up the other film. "She's had three broken ribs and a broken arm recently."

"Alexx, was there anything in her file about a rape or assault?" Calleigh asked, hoping for sure there was.

Eric shook his head. "She was probably too scared to report it."

"This is so frustrating," Calleigh grumbled. "She should have reported it."

"Illegal immigrants don't know their rights, Calleigh," Alexx soothed. "They don't realise they're entitled to medical attention, green card or not."

"C'mon, if she was a white woman who had been raped it would have been on the news. Latinos don't get the same attention and you both know it," Eric said angrily.

"You don't have to tell me, Eric," Alexx retorted. "I watch the news."

Eric and Alexx shared a look before looking at the petite, blonde woman who was feeling just a little more than slightly defensive.

"Y'all are looking at me like I got a choice before I came into this world whether I was going to be born white or black or hispanic," Calleigh replied defensively.

"I'm just saying you might have it a little easier," Eric said.

Calleigh looked to Alexx who gave her a look that told her she agreed, although Alexx said nothing.

"You're both not serious," Calleigh said in disbelief. "I have blonde hair, green eyes and a southern accent. The first four years in Miami when I showed up on a crime scene they thought I was a reporter, not the cop trying to solve the case."

Eric looked at Calleigh in surprise.

"I have to prove myself every day to men all the time because of the way I look and if you think I have it any easier because of the colour of my skin then you're an idiot," she said and started walking out of autopsy.

"Hey, wait," Eric caught her arm. "I'm sorry. I am an idiot."

"Don't play the race card with me Eric," she said, her voice low. "I would never play it with you."

Eric shook his head in repentence. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Calleigh didn't know why she was so upset. "I would never think a hispanic victim was less important than-"

"Calleigh," he interrupted. Eric brushed her hair back over her shoulder and gave her a boyish smile. "C'mon. I was just mad. You know that's not how I really feel."

Alexx cleared her throat and the pair stepped away from each other. "Eric you came down here for something?"

"Uh, yeah. We found male DNA at the scene."

"Did you ever find out what that disturbance was?" Calleigh asked, crossing her arms.

"It's the same size as bread crates," Eric said. "There was no other evidence to suggest otherwise."

"Is he still upstairs?" Calleigh asked as she moved to the door.

"He thinks he's here for too many parking violations," Eric said, putting his hand on the small of her back. "Let's go."

"Most definitely," she said with a smile. "Thanks Alexx."


	10. Minor Jealousy

Pedro DiSoto smelled like sweat and Old Spice. His half-lidded eyes stared across the table to Eric and Calleigh, amused and somewhat annoyed at his attendance. The tattoo's on his arms included naked women, a phoenix rising from the ashes and a beautiful portrait of Madonna and child.

"Mister DiSoto, you've been identified for being in the Day Corner Store on Sunday morning, at five a.m.," Calleigh started. "You've also got a paternal relation to the baby Carmen Torez was carrying."

"Did you want to tell us anything?" Eric asked.

"You're _hot_," Pedro complimented Calleigh.

Letting Instead of rolling her eyes, Calleigh slid the paternity file across the table. "Where were you Sunday morning?"

Pedro pursed his lips. "Are you a natural blonde?"

Calleigh's face remained stoic. "Mister DiSoto, your fingerprints are all over the Hamilton Bakery. That puts you at the scene of the crime. We found your blood in the bakery which suggest you and Carmen got into an altercation and cut yourself. If you had an accomplice in this..."

Pedro kissed the air. "Please, baby, I can handle my own problems."

"Like you 'handled' Elena and Carmen?" Eric asked.

"That bitch wouldn't do what I told her!" Pedro shouted, standing up.

Eric grabbed Pedro's shirt and sat him down in the chair. "Relax."

"What did you tell her?" Calleigh asked.

"We were involved, so what? Then she gets pregnant and says it's my fault! She and I had a fight, we got into it but I didn't slash her, man," Pedro said, throwing his hands up. "Last time I saw her was four weeks ago."

"We'll check that out," Calleigh said. "Until then, you can wait in our holding cell."

As Officer Delray took Pedro DiSoto to the holding cell Calleigh sat down, her hand on her stomach. "Pedro DiSoto is fourteen years older than Carmen and she was supposed to be having a relationship with him?"

"You think he's lying?" Eric asked, knowing full well the answer was yes.

Calleigh nodded. "Alexx said she had fractures on her face, three broken ribs and a broken arm. Those injuries are consistent with rape." Calleigh sighed. "She should have come forward, illegal or not."

Eric sat down next to her and shook his head. "Carmen and Elena have no family here but their listed address is the apartment above the bakery."

"Did anyone check it out?" Calleigh asked.

"Ryan was interviewing the other residents of the apartment," Eric said and stood behind her to knead the muscles on her shoulders. "When is Horatio finished in court?"

Calleigh's head bobbed and she groaned as the muscle at the base of her neck and her shoulders were massaged by Eric's large hands.

"Monday," she said with a groan.

Calleigh allowed herself a few more minutes of Eric's hands but she begrudgingly pulled away and stood up, not able to look him in the eye.

Calleigh walked out into the lab to find Ryan waiting in the DNA lab. "What did you find?" she asked.

"Not Valera," Ryan said, looking around the lab. "I've got some bloody clothes Carmen Torez had at her apartment. They might be from the night she was assaulted."

Calleigh looked at her watch. She was surprised to see it was after seven. "It's 7:30, I think she went home for the night."

Ryan let out a long breath. "Okay, well maybe we should go home, come back tomorrow morning with fresh eyes."

Calleigh agreed. "Sounds good, I'll see you at seven."

Ryan put his hand on her shoulder briefly. "Make sure you eat breakfast this time."

Calleigh smacked his chest playfully. "Get out of here before Valera has to test your bloody clothes."

Ryan held his hands up defensively and walked backwards out of the door, waving to Calleigh when he was outside.

Calleigh found Eric in the locker room, grabbing his coat from his locker. "Hey," she greeted with a smile. "Ready to get out of here?"

Eric put on his coat and closed his locker, avoiding her gaze. She touched his arm and he looked at her slowly.

"Eric?" Calleigh asked.

Eric pushed her up against the locker and kissed her deeply. Calleigh's body stiffened at first but she moaned into his kiss and allowed his tongue to massage hers. His hand was on her hip, holding her against the locker, the other was holding her wrist by her head. Calleigh's heart was racing - anyone could walk in - but her body was screaming for Eric to touch her.

Eric broke the kiss and he looked at her in the eye, his eyes wild. "C'mon. I'm taking you home."


	11. Leads to Fun

Calleigh allowed Eric to lead her out of the building, which was practically deserted and thank heaven because if Calleigh hadn't been as tired or as horny, she might protest to being dragged out of the building like some caveman's prize.

Eric pushed her up against her car and she held back a moan that would have been heard across the parking lot. He opened the door and backed Calleigh into the seat, keeping his lips pressed against hers and his hand moving up her thigh toward the crotch of her pants. Calleigh gasped when he pressed his thumb against her and he pulled away abruptly and ran around the other side to get in the car.

The drive to Calleigh's felt like an eternity and they were honked at three times for kissing at a red light but Eric didn't care. He wanted her and he didn't want to wait any longer.

In the lobby of her apartment, he pushed her against the wall again and Calleigh worried she would have to arrest them later for public indecency. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, not stopping until he reached her door, unlocked it and they were inside.

He kicked off his shoes and walked down her hallway, silent as one hand held her butt and the other worked on taking her shoes off.

Eric tossed her onto the bed and took his shirt off in one fluid movement. He undid the buckle of his pants and looked at her body, hungry for her. Calleigh licked her lips and she moved to take off her pants but Eric shook his head no.

Climbing on top of her, Eric kissed her deeply and took her hands to hold them over her head with one hand. With his other hand he pulled her shirt up around her breasts and began working on her pants. She struggled under him, wanting to touch him back but he held her tighter.

"Don't move," he said to her and sat back on his heels to pull her pants off the rest of the way and remove her shirt.

Eric settled himself on top of her again and thrust his hips against hers. Calleigh moaned at the feeling of his arousal against her and she pressed her hips against his. The cool feeling of metal was now around her wrist and Calleigh snapped her gaze on Eric as he handcuffed her left wrist to one of the bars on her headboard.

"Eric..." Calleigh started but Eric cut her off and kissed her deeply.

His hands moved to her underwear and he bit her hip, sucking on the flesh hard, causing her to cry out as her alabaster skin flushed. One finger moved to touch her and he smiled to find she was aroused. Calleigh bit her lip, preparing herself for Eric's touch but he pulled away. Taking her hips, Eric turned her over onto her stomach and pressed himself against her.

"Stay there," he whispered and Calleigh nodded as he took off his boxer shorts.

Calleigh realised his intentions when he pulled her onto her knees and she looked at him over her shoulder, waiting. He entered her in one smooth thrust, she was wet for him and she shouted, her fingers clutching at the bedspread.

Eric had never felt the need to be in control, as much as he wanted her at that moment. She arched her back as he moved his hands over her back down to her hips. Using his hands on her hips to dominate her, Eric pushed hard and she collapsed onto her elbows, moaning.

"You're so wet," Eric moaned, accenting each word with a hard thrust.

If it had been any other man, she would have been worried in the car when he didn't speak. They wouldn't have made it to the handcuff, let alone to her apartment. It was exciting, being taken by a man who respected her as a strong woman. Calleigh knew, if it were anyone else, she would be at home alone instead of naked, on all fours being fucked.

It was so primal, Eric taking her on the bed this way. Eric was so strong but he had never exuded his strength with anyone except for a witness - this was a side of the man who grew up with three sisters Calleigh had never seen.

She could feel her climax approaching as her excitement grew at the submissive position she was in.

"Eric," she started and Eric cut her off, thrusting harder and she came, shouting his name. Eric finished with her and he rubbed her back, leaning down to kiss it. Laying beside her, Eric allowed her to turn over and he kissed her softly.

Calleigh pulled on her handcuffed wrist and gave him a questioning look. "Um, Eric?"

Eric reached for the key on the night stand and unlocked her wrist, rubbing the reddened flesh. "Sorry."

Calleigh wasn't worried about her wrist but his behaviour. "Want to tell me what that was all about?"

He kissed her again and shook his head. "I just... I wanted you. I needed you to be mine."

Calleigh sat up, wrapping her arms and legs around around him. "I am."

Eric looked at her. "I saw you with Ryan in the lab and I felt jealous."

The look in his eyes was honest and Calleigh knew not to brush it off. "You don't ever need to be jealous," she said as she kissed his shoulder.

Eric lifted his arm around her to pull her onto his lap. Straddling his thighs, Calleigh kissed his lips, her tongue pushing into his mouth and tasting his.

"I'm yours," Calleigh insisted. "You don't need to even question it."

"You're not mad? I didn't use a condom and you're not mad?" he asked and she shook her head. Eric smiled softly and he kissed her neck. "I just can't help myself with you."

"A girl could use a little warning first. It took me by surprise but I won't say I didn't like it," Calleigh smiled shyly, and pulled herself tighter against his body. "I can't say I blame you, southern women are hard to get out of the system."

"I'm addicted," he said with a smile and stood up, to lay her on the bed.

As he kissed her neck, a loud rumble came from her stomach and she laughed, embarrassed.

"I think you should feed me first," Calleigh said and kissed him on his chin.

Eric stood up slowly. "I need to get some clothes from my apartment anyway."

"Are you staying here tonight?" Calleigh asked as she pulled on her underwear and jeans.

Eric shook his head. "I'm heading over to Valera's -"

Calleigh threw Eric's shirt at his head. "Funny."

"Not until after I make a pit stop at Justine's from Q.D..," Eric teased.

Calleigh put her hands on her hips but she hardly looked intimidating, standing in her jeans and bra. "You're buying me dinner."

"You can order something and I'll get the tab," Eric said as he made his way to the door. "I'll be back in half an hour."

Calleigh hugged her self, smiling at the intimacy of what had just happened. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach fluttering away and making her smile. She was sure she was falling in love with this man and she didn't want to stop it.


	12. Verbal Admission

Calleigh woke up the next morning with a full belly and an arm wrapped around it. Her clock read 5:30 and Calleigh knew her alarm would go off in fifteen minutes. Eric pressed his face into her hair and breathed out slowly.

The sun did not shine that morning but a heavy downpour from the grey sky. While many in the city were going to bed after a night of clubbing, the police officers and business men and women were getting up to start their days. Calleigh groaned and pressed her face into her pillow, hoping to sleep an extra fifteen minutes.

Eric pulled her body to his, his hands roaming over the T-shirt she stole from him last night after they made love in her living room. Eric's hand moved up to fondle her breast and she turned over in the bed to face him.

"Hi," he whispered.

"Hi back," she whispered, burying her head under his chin. "I'm calling in sick today."

Eric pulled her shirt up her back and slipped his hand under the waistband of her underwear. "Are you sick?" he asked as he cupped her backside.

Calleigh shook her head. "No."

Eric laughed. "Why do you want to call in sick?"

"I mean, I wouldn't mind taking a sick day..." Calleigh slid his boxers down and pressed herself against his morning arousal.

"Oh, well I understand..."

Eric took her shirt off all the way and rolled her onto her back. Eric watched her pull off her underwear and wrapped her legs around his waist. Eric pushed into her slowly and she gasped as he slid inside her.

They made love slowly at first, Eric kissed her neck gingerly as he held her in his arms, neither of them thinking beyond the moment they were in together. It was enough for Eric to be with her in the morning, to hold her and lie next to her. Watching her underneath him was driving him toward the edge, and he felt close to climaxing.

Looking up at him, his eyes were open wide, watching her intently. His face was wrought with pleasure but he kept his eyes open, looking over her body under his. His muscles were taught on his stomach and shoulders, his dark skin warm against her cool white.

Calleigh was normally the one to stop them in the morning; she would get out of bed, use the washroom, brush her teeth and come back to bed with protection ready. Calleigh hadn't moved this morning from his arms and she hadn't stopped him to get protection.

"Calleigh," Eric started, his voice strained. A morning arousal didn't usually last long but Eric could feel himself close to orgasm. "I'm going to -"

Calleigh's orgasm took over and Eric followed behind, leaning on his elbow for support. Calleigh kissed him, passionately, holding him inside her with her legs. Eric kissed her back, his body still tired from their lovemaking but responding to her as she tightened her muscles around him.

Eric kissed her neck as his hand moved down to massaged her breast. In response, Calleigh gasped and arched her back into his touch. Feeling more aggressive, she grabbed his shoulders and rolled Eric onto his back, straddling him.

Eric sat up to meet her lips and kissed her as she moved herself up and down, still in control of their movements. The only sound in the room was their sighs and moans as they made love.

Calleigh put her hands on his shoulders and moaned. "Faster."

Eric grabbed her hips as she rode him faster and harder. Her jaw dropped and she came hard. Eric sat up and held her to his chest as her toes tingled and her heart raced. She opened her green eyes slowly, smiling at him mischievously.

"Eric," she started and blushed.

Eric touched her chin and kissed her cheek. "Tell me."

Calleigh's face was flushed, with embarrassment and from her recent orgasm. "I want you again."

Eric's jaw dropped and he tried to hide a smile. "Are southern women always this insatiable?"

Calleigh shrugged and buried her face in his shoulder. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I've never been this way before."

"Don't be sorry, I'm not complaining. I'm just surprised." Eric laughed nervously. "I mean, I'm definitely in love with you and everything about you. But I'm telling you this is a side I'm more than crazy about."

Calleigh pulled back from Eric's embrace and looked at him in the eye. "What?"

Eric's face showed only fear and uncertainty. "I mean..."

"You're in love with me?" Calleigh asked softly.

Eric worried if he told the truth it would be too much and she would change her mind about them. He knew she didn't like too much pressure in relationships, it was one of the reasons it didn't work with her and Hagen. After enough conversations with Speedle and Alexx, Eric learned it was the reason she broke up with a lot of her boyfriends.

He didn't want her to kick him out but he couldn't lie.

"I... Yes. I love you. I'm in love with you."

Calleigh studied his face as though she was unsure if he had misspoken or if she would be able to admit it herself.

"I love you too," she replied.

Making love to her was addicting. Eric pushed her onto her back, kissing her as he laid her down. He pushed into her fast, feeling more excited than he ever had before. The look she gave him was one he only wanted for himself. From something deep inside came the feeling of complete joy, just to know she was here with him.

"I've wanted you for so long," he whispered as he moved inside her. "I can't believe we're finally together. I love you so much."

Calleigh's voice caught in her throat and a tear ran down her cheek to the bedspread. Eric kissed her hair, her cheeks and her lips finally. Her excitement grew and Eric reached between them, helping her to climax with him.

Eric kissed her neck and licked the sweat that dripped down. "Mmm. You taste good."

Calleigh giggled. "I taste like sweat."

Eric touched his tongue to her neck and inhaled deeply. "You taste like you smell, sweet. Like a peach."

She smacked his arm lightly and pushed on his chest. "Eric..."

Eric looked at her genuinely. "I'm not trying to pad your ego, Calleigh. You taste so good, almost like a peach."

Calleigh smiled. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

She adjusted herself underneath him and leaned forward to lick his neck. "You don't taste like peaches. You taste like you smell."

Eric grinned at her. It was a grin she had seen when women hit on him - he was flattered but unsure. "What's that?"

"I don't know, masculine. Salty but sweet. Not too sweet though," she replied, her voice low. "It's intoxicating."

"You always gotta upstage me." Eric whispered as he leaned down and kissed her neck, biting her softly. Calleigh let out a small moan and Eric kissed her shoulders. "I want to introduce you to my family."

"Eric..."

Eric ran his hand down her abdomen, massaging her hip. "I want to take you over to my parents house to meet my parents. I want you to meet my sisters and their families."

Calleigh understood the seriousness of his words but his tone was seductive. "Are you sure?"

Eric nodded and continued kissing her. "Yes, I want to tell them about us. I want to tell everyone about us but especially my family."

"Eric, I'm a white Southerner from Louisiana," she stated as though that explained everything.

"So?" he asked, slipping his thumb between the folds of her legs.

Calleigh arched her back. Making a case as he moved his thumb in circles would prove to be a difficult feat. "I... I... I'm not what they want... oh God..." Calleigh moaned. "For you."

"They want me to be happy," he said as he licked her nipple. "You make me happy. Don't you want to introduce me to your family?"

Calleigh pulled away from Eric and said warningly, "Eric."

"I would be proud to walk into my house and tell my family I was in love and happy," he replied seriously. Looking over her naked body, he smiled at her. "Don't you want to introduce me to your family?"

"Yes," she replied immediately.

"Cuban guy in your house, that wouldn't upset anything?" he asked.

Calleigh got off the bed and pulled on her robe, covering her body. "Yes, I do. I want you to meet my brothers and my mom."

Eric sighed. Their morning together was over and that was the red flag. He pulled on his boxers. "And you'd introduce me to your dad?"

Calleigh nodded "As my boyfriend."

Eric raised his eyebrows. "Boyfriend?"

"Does that term bother you?" she asked with a smile.

"Not at all," he said, smiling back at her. "Just as long as it doesn't bother you."

Calleigh pulled out her clothes from her dresser. "When was your last serious relationship, Eric?"

"Serious like I'm only seeing one girl or serious like us?" he asked as he pulled out the clothes he had hung up the night before from her closet.

Calleigh began making the bed and Eric moved to the other side to help her. "Serious like us."

Eric shook his head. "I told my girlfriend in college I loved her but I'm not sure I meant it. In all honesty, I never felt like this about someone. Have you?"

Calleigh looked at Eric across the bed. "Was I in love with John, you mean?"

Eric wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer but knowing was better than always wondering. As he closed his eyes he asked, "Were you?"

"No," she replied softly. "It's been a while since I've felt this way."

Eric opened his eyes and nodded. "Okay."

"Would it have mattered?" she asked.

Eric shook his head. "No. No, not at all. I'm sorry for prying."

Calleigh climbed on top of the bed and crawled toward him. "Eric..."

He shook his head and rubbed his face with his hands. "No that was invasive."

Taking his hands in hers, she stood on her knees face to face with Eric. "I would have been just as curious," she admitted.

"Is there anything you need to ask me?" he asked.

Calleigh shook her head as she pulled him toward her. "Not right now."

Eric kissed her softly. "Later?"

Calleigh nodded and he kissed her forehead. "Later."


End file.
